Index: lams_central/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/web/OrganisationGroupAction.java
===================================================================
diff -u -r2d50303390a6ea1ec157a3a1390ecf3833c0339c -r0cd138ac45434e284914fd7fe263c345012412a6
--- lams_central/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/web/OrganisationGroupAction.java	(.../OrganisationGroupAction.java)	(revision 2d50303390a6ea1ec157a3a1390ecf3833c0339c)
+++ lams_central/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/web/OrganisationGroupAction.java	(.../OrganisationGroupAction.java)	(revision 0cd138ac45434e284914fd7fe263c345012412a6)
@@ -101,7 +101,14 @@
     public ActionForward viewGroupings(ActionMapping mapping, ActionForm form, HttpServletRequest request,
 	    HttpServletResponse response) throws Exception {
 	Long activityID = WebUtil.readLongParam(request, AttributeNames.PARAM_ACTIVITY_ID, true);
-	boolean lessonGroupsExist = getLessonGrouping(request, activityID, false) != null;
+	Grouping lessonGrouping = getLessonGrouping(request, activityID, false);
+
+	// if this grouping is used for branching then it should use groups set in authoring. It will be possible to
+	// remove users from the groups, but not delete groups due to the branching relationships
+	boolean isUsedForBranching = lessonGrouping != null && lessonGrouping.isUsedForBranching();
+	request.setAttribute(GroupingAJAXAction.PARAM_USED_FOR_BRANCHING, isUsedForBranching);
+	
+	boolean lessonGroupsExist = lessonGrouping != null;
 	if (lessonGroupsExist) {
 	    // this is lesson mode and user have already chosen a grouping before, so show it
 	    return viewGroups(mapping, form, request, response);
@@ -139,8 +146,8 @@
 	}
 	request.setAttribute(AttributeNames.PARAM_ORGANISATION_ID, organisationId);
 
-	// if this is a chosen group and lesson is created using integrations - show groups received from LMS instead of actual LAMS ones
-	if (getIntegrationService().isIntegratedServerGroupFetchingAvailable(lessonId)) {
+	// if it's not a group-based branching and lesson is created using integrations - show groups received from LMS instead of actual LAMS ones
+	if (!isUsedForBranching && getIntegrationService().isIntegratedServerGroupFetchingAvailable(lessonId)) {
 
 	    if (lessonId == null) {
 		//it's when a learner clicks back button on groups page
@@ -245,6 +252,11 @@
 
 	    lessonGroups = null;
 	}
+	
+	// if this grouping is used for branching then it should use groups set in authoring. It will be possible to
+	// remove users from the groups, but not delete groups due to the branching relationships
+	boolean isUsedForBranching = lessonGrouping.isUsedForBranching();
+	request.setAttribute(GroupingAJAXAction.PARAM_USED_FOR_BRANCHING, isUsedForBranching);
 
 	JSONArray orgGroupsJSON = new JSONArray();
 	Collection<User> learners = null;
@@ -601,10 +613,6 @@
 
 	    if ((grouping != null) && (grouping.getGroups() != null)) {
 		Set<Group> groups = grouping.getGroups();
-		// not very obvious place to use it, but it made most sense
-		boolean isUsedForBranching = grouping.isUsedForBranching();
-		request.setAttribute(GroupingAJAXAction.PARAM_USED_FOR_BRANCHING, isUsedForBranching);
-
 		return !groups.isEmpty() && (allowDefault || !isDefaultChosenGrouping(grouping)) ? grouping : null;
 	    }
 	}